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This page documents a major update currently being worked on. 
Therefore, not all official feature names or items are mentioned.

1.17.0, the first release of the Caves & Cliffs update, is an upcoming major update to Bedrock Edition set to release in mid-2021.[1] It was first announced during Minecraft Live 2020 on October 3, 2020.[2]

Additions

Blocks

Amethyst Bud
  • Grows from budding amethyst, which is found in amethyst geodes.
  • Starts out small, but grows into medium after a while, large after even more time and eventually becomes an amethyst cluster.
  • Unlike crops, each growth stage is a separate block instead of a block state.
  • Drops only when mined with a Silk Touch pickaxe.
  • Emits a light level of 5.
Amethyst Cluster
  • The final, mature stage of the amethyst bud, which grows from budding amethyst in amethyst geodes.
  • Drops amethyst shards if broken, in an amount affected by Fortune, but can also be picked up with Silk Touch.
  • Emits a light level of 5.
Block of Amethyst
  • A block found in amethyst geodes.
  • Unlike the Budding Amethyst, the Block of Amethyst can be obtained when mined.
  • Can also be crafted with 4 amethyst shards.
  • Emits a light level of 2.
Budding Amethyst
  • Generates amethyst buds/clusters on any side that is exposed either to air or a water source block.
  • Cannot be obtained when mined, even with Silk Touch, and does not drop anything.
  • Breaks immediately if pushed by a piston or sticky piston.
    • Cannot be pulled by sticky pistons.
  • Generates in amethyst geodes.
Calcite
  • An off-white stone that generates in geodes, between tuff and amethyst.
  • The middle layer of Calcite is 1 block thick.
Candle
  • Crafted with honeycomb and string.
  • Comes with 16 dyed types and a yellowish non-dyed type.
  • Can be lit by any item that produces fire.
  • Up to 4 can be placed in a single block, similar to sea pickles, for a maximum light level of 12.
    • Only candles of the same color can be placed on the same block.
  • Only one can be placed on an uneaten cake and lit.
    • If any of the cake is consumed, the candle pops off.
  • Can be placed underwater, but cannot be lit.
    • Can be stacked on top of a cake.
    • If stood on top, you will lose 1 heart.
Copper Block
  • Can be crafted with 4 copper ingots, and can also be crafted back into 4 copper ingots.
  • Oxidizes and changes texture to a turquoise-green over time.
  • Can be stopped from oxidizing by combining it with a honeycomb to create a Waxed Copper Block.
  • Can be crafted into cut copper.
Copper Ore
  • Generates randomly underground in small veins, but this has been confirmed to be a placeholder.
  • Has the same rarity as iron.
  • Generating starts at the same minimum level(s) as iron.
  • Can be smelted with a furnace and blast furnace into a copper ingot.
  • Spawns in up to 5 blocks together.
Cut Copper
  • Can be made into stair and slab variants.
  • Oxidizes and changes texture over time.
  • Can be stopped from oxidizing by combining it with a honeycomb to create Waxed Cut Copper.
Cut Copper Slab
  • Oxidizes and changes texture over time.
  • Can be stopped from oxidizing by combining it with a honeycomb to create a Waxed Cut Copper Slab.
Cut Copper Stairs
  • Oxidizes and changes texture over time.
  • Can be stopped from oxidizing by combining it with a honeycomb to create Waxed Cut Copper Stairs.
Dripstone Block
  • A decoration block.
  • Appears to be made of the same materials as stalactites and stalagmites but as a full cube.
  • Only generates in the Dripstone caves biome which is currently only available through single biome, caves, or floating islands world types.
  • Can be crafted from 4 pointed dripstone.
Glow Item Frame
  • Placeable entities which appear to glow.
  • Does not give any light affect, only appearing as if lit up themselves.
  • Items placed inside also glow.
  • Crafted using an item frame and a glow ink sac.
  • Includes application to maps.
  • Acts like the regular item frame.
Glow Lichen
  • A naturally occurring light source found rarely in caves, growing on any face of a block.
  • Has a light level of 7.
  • Obtained with shears, otherwise breaks.
  • Does not spread naturally, although bone meal can be used to spread it horizontally (or vertically if on the side of a block).
  • Can be waterlogged.
  • Unlike vines, it does not pop off when underwater, and is not climbable.
  • Up to 6 can be put on the same block space, merging into one block.
Lightning Rod
  • Can be crafted with 3 copper ingots.
  • Lightning strikes within a 32-block radius get redirected to the lightning rod.
  • Gives off a redstone signal with a strength of 15 if hit by lightning.
  • Can be activated directly by throwing a trident with Channeling at it during a thunderstorm, though this does not produce a redstone signal.
  • Gives a light level of 1.
Pointed Dripstone
  • Can be either placed on a ceiling to create a stalactite, or on top of a block to create a stalagmite.
    • Can be combined to form longer stalactites and stalagmites.
  • Thrown tridents break pointed dripstone. Will also break when pushed directly or with a block by a piston.
  • Stalagmites break if not attached to something below
  • Stalagmites hurt entities which fall on top of them more than normal fall damage.
    • Damage is relative to height: For example, jumping on a stalagmite deals 2♥ of damage, and falling from 3 blocks deals 8♥♥♥♥ of damage.
  • Stalactites can fall or break if unsupported, and break apart on impact, hurting entities they fall on.
    • Damage is relative to height: For example, one falling from 2 blocks deals 2♥ of damage, and one falling from 3 blocks deal 4♥♥ of damage.
    • They drip water or lava into cauldrons if a source block is placed above the stalactite, and gradually fill the cauldron. Water drips even without any water above the block (lava in the Nether), but does not fill the cauldron.
Powder Snow
  • A variant of snow, Entities that walk over it will sink into it.
  • Leather boots can be worn to prevent entities from sinking into powder snow blocks.
    • Players can still crouch to descend with leather boots. Wearing leather boots also allows powder snow to be "climbed", like water or scaffolding.
  • When inside a powder snow block, a frosty vignette appears around the player's screen and any entity inside starts freezing and taking damage after a short time.
  • Can be collected and placed with a bucket.

Sculk Sensor
  • A redstone component that sends and receives redstone signals wirelessly.
  • Currently, it does not generate naturally, only available from the Creative inventory or commands such as /give, but natural generation is planned for future versions.
  • Senses vibrations such as block placement, footsteps, and projectiles, and emits a redstone signal.
  • File:Particle of the Vibration.gif Emits particles when it senses a vibration nearby.
  • A comparator connected to it will emit different signal strengths based on what caused the signal.
  • Does not detect ambient weather such as rain.
  • Wool blocks between the sensor and the cause of the sound prevent the sensor from detecting the sound.
Tinted Glass
  • A black variant of glass that is transparent to players, but does not let light through.
  • Can be crafted with 4 amethyst shards and a glass block.
    • Stained glass cannot be used to craft tinted glass.
  • Drops itself if mined without Silk Touch or even by hand, unlike glass.
  • great for making mob farms.
Tuff
  • A grayish stone that composes the outer layer of amethyst geodes.
  • Texture may be subject to change.
  • The layer of Tuff outside of the amethyst geodes is 3 blocks thick.
Glow sign
  • Appears to glow, but gives no light level.
  • Acts as a regular sign.
  • Can be crafted with a glow ink sac and a regular sign, and can be crafted without a crafting table.
    • Has no icon so far. When it does come out, it will show up that date.

Items

Amethyst Shard
  • Obtained from breaking amethyst clusters.
  • The amount dropped can be increased with the Fortune enchantment.
  • Can be used to craft tinted glass, blocks of amethyst and a spyglass.
Bucket of Axolotl
  • Obtained by using a water bucket on an axolotl, similar to fish.
  • Can be used to carry around and empty out axolotls, also similarly to fish.
Bundle
  • Crafted with 2 string and 6 rabbit hide.
  • Used to store other items (except shulker boxes) inside of it.
  • Can only hold a stack of items, but is able to hold different types of items inside of it.
    • Items with smaller stacks, such as ender pearls, take up more room in a bundle, and non-stackable items take up the whole bundle.
  • The bundle's contents can be opened by pressing use while holding it, throwing out its entire content into the world. When destroyed as an entity, it drops the items it currently has as well.
    • Right-clicking a bundle in the inventory empties one item from the bundle.
  • Even though bundles are not stackable, bundles can be nested.
    • Can hold up to 16 bundles.
    • Only empty bundles can be placed in other bundles without using commands.
  • Has a GUI when hovering over it.
    • Shows contained items in its GUI's inventory slots when hovering over it, as well as fullness as a number.
  • Note: Bundles can hold any amount of any item if added using commands.
Copper Ingot
  • Obtained by smelting copper ore.
  • Used to craft copper blocks, lightning rods and spyglasses.
Glow Ink Sac
  • Dropped by glow squids when killed.
  • Can be used to craft glow item frames.
  • Can be used to make text glow on signs.
Powder Snow Bucket
  • Obtained by using a bucket on powder snow.
  • Can be used to place a powder snow block wherever it is used, or can be used to fill cauldrons with powder snow.
Spawn eggs
Spyglass
  • Crafted with 2 copper ingots and an amethyst shard.
  • When used, it zooms in on wherever the player is looking, but limits their view to a square.
  • There is a unique animation for using the spyglass, which is visible in third person perspective.

Mobs

Axolotl
  • Based on the critically endangered Mexican salamander with the same name in real life.
  • Doesn't spawn naturally yet, must be spawned in with a spawn egg. When it does spawn naturally, it will spawn in Lush caves.
  • The first amphibian added to Minecraft.
    • Will dry out and start taking damage after 5 minutes of being out of water.
  • Can be caught using a water bucket, like fish.
  • Can be bred using tropical fish or buckets of tropical fish.
  • Come in five different colors (leucistic, yellow, brown, white, and purple/pink, and a rare blue Axolotl).[2]
    • Blue axolotls are very rare, with a 11200 chance of spawning.
  • Plays dead when damaged, receiving Regeneration I.
    • This regeneration ability is likely based on how real axolotls can regrow lost limbs.
  • Attacks drowned, guardians, squids, glow squids and fish, damage not yet official.
    • Are always hostile to fish and squid, and hostile to drowned and guardians only when "tempted" by a player holding tropical fish.
Glow Squid
  • Originates from the mob with the same name from Minecraft Earth.
  • Underwater mob that behaves like a regular squid.
    • Does not naturally spawn yet.
  • Is attacked by axolotls without provocation.
  • Drops glow ink sacs when killed.
  • Does not affect the light level, only appearing as if lit up itself. Glows in the same way that magma cube cores, vexes, blazes and the eyes of spiders, drowned, and endermen do.
  • Will stop glowing for a short time and swims away fast after taking damage.

World generation

Amethyst Geodes
  • A new feature found uncommonly underground (can rarely appear exposed to the surface close to sea level).
  • Contains blocks of amethyst and budding amethyst blocks, which are encased in a shell of calcite and tuff.
    • Also generates with a small air pocket nearby which may open into the geode.
  • Generally generates at or below sea level (y = 63).
  • Most commonly generates at lower levels (y = 0 to y = 40)
  • Overrides standard caves and ravines, but is overridden by abandoned mineshafts.
  • Currently has a high generation rate, presumably for testing purposes which was also done with ruined portals before.
Dripstone Caves
  • A new underground biome, consisting of a massive cave biome containing vast quantities of stalactites and stalagmites.
  • Made up of primarily dripstone blocks and stone, with large clusters of dripstone blocks hanging from the ceiling, pointed dripstone on the floor and ceiling and many pools of water.
  • Does not yet generate naturally in normal worlds, and can only be generated using buffet worlds with "Dripstone Caves" selected as the source biome or using custom world. Natural generation is planned for future versions.

Gameplay

Death messages
  • Added 6 new death messages:
    • "<player> froze to death".
    • "<player> was frozen to death by <entity>".
    • "<player> was skewered by a falling stalactite"
    • "<player> was skewered by a falling stalactite whilst fighting <entity>"
    • "<player> was impaled on a stalagmite"
    • "<player> was impaled on a stalagmite whilst fighting <entity>".

Changes

Blocks

Cakes
  • Have a variation called "Candle Cake".
    • Can be created by using a candle on an uneaten cake.
    • The candle on the cake comes with 17 colors, depending on the color of the candle used to create it.
    • Pop out the original candle when any of the cake is eaten.
Banners
  • The unused "base" pattern has been renamed to the "field" pattern and given proper translation strings (its ID is still "base").
Cauldrons
  • Can now be filled with lava and powder snow.
    • Lava filled cauldrons can damage players and mobs inside of them, and give off a redstone comparator signal of strength 1.
    • Powder snow cauldrons are formed when cauldrons are under the sky during snowfall.
    • Can also be filled with powder snow by using a powder snow bucket on it.
  • Have been split into normal, water, lava, and powdered snow cauldrons.
Dispenser
Grass Path
  • Renamed to "Dirt Path", as per Bedrock Edition.
    • The block ID has also been changed to dirt_path.
  • Can now be made with dirt, coarse dirt, mycelium, and podzol by using a shovel.
Lapis lazuli block
  • Renamed to "Block of Lapis Lazuli".
Pistons
  • Particles now appear if a block is broken by a piston.
  • Breaks Budding Amethyst if pushed/pulled w/ a piston/sticky piston.
Signs
  • Can now be tinted with glow ink sacs to make the text glow.
    • Glowing signs do not affect the light level, only appearing as if the text itself is illuminated.
    • Regular ink sacs can be used to remove the glowing effect.
    • Now has sounds for being dyed.
Structure block
  • Default mode of structure blocks is now "Load". "Data" is now hidden by default.
  • "Data" can be accessed by clicking the mode button while holding the Alt key.

Mobs

Shulkers
  • If a shulker is hit by another shulker's projectile, it now has a chance of spawning a new shulker. Shulkers are more likely to spawn new shulkers when there are fewer shulkers nearby.

Planned additions

This article is about the updates released in 2021. For the soundtrack, see Minecraft: Caves & Cliffs (Original Game Soundtrack). For the advancement, see Advancement § Caves & Cliffs.
For guides about all content in this update, see Java Edition guides/Caves & Cliffs and Bedrock Edition guides/Caves & Cliffs.

Go underwater to team up with the axolotl and meet the glow squid. Tread carefully on higher ground because the goats might ram you!

minecraft.net on Caves & Cliffs: Part I

Explore bigger mountains, caves, and biomes along with an increased world height and updated terrain generation in the Caves & Cliffs Update.

minecraft.net on Caves & Cliffs: Part II

Caves & Cliffs is the name of two major themed updates for Java and Bedrock editions. The first part was released as Java Edition 1.17 and Bedrock Edition 1.17.0 on June 8, 2021,[3] which focused on blocks and mobs. The second part was released as Java Edition 1.18 and Bedrock Edition 1.18.0[4] on November 30, 2021,[5] and brought revamped overworld generation, including new caves and mountains.

Caves & Cliffs was announced in Minecraft Live 2020,[2] and on April 14, 2021, Mojang Studios announced that the update would be split into two portions due to the amount and complexity of content, as well as team health.[6] It was later announced in Minecraft Live 2021 that the Deep Dark portion, as well as certain items, of the Caves & Cliffs update would be delayed until The Wild Update to improve quality.

On Java Edition, Part I started development with snapshot 20w45a, which was released on November 4, 2020. The first pre-release for Caves & Cliffs: Part I was released on May 27, 2021, and the first release candidate on June 4, 2021. Part II started development with 1.18 Experimental Snapshot 1, which was released on July 13, 2021, followed by the first pre-release on November 11, 2021, and the first release candidate on November 25, 2021.

On Bedrock Edition, Part I started development with beta 1.16.200.52, which was released on October 28, 2020. Most of the Part I features were behind experimental gameplay toggle until the Part I release and were not included in the full 1.16.200, 1.16.210, and 1.16.220 release.[7][8] In Part II, development continued with beta 1.17.30.23, which was released on August 25, 2021. In 1.17.10, released on July 13, 2021, non-beta users were able to test out most of early Part II features behind experimental gameplay.[9]

Both Java and Bedrock editions received Caves & Cliffs: Part I on June 8, 2021, and Caves & Cliffs: Part II on November 30, 2021.[10]

Additionally, features from Caves & Cliffs: Part I, were released for Minecraft Education in 1.17.30 on November 2, 2021. Part II features were released in 1.18.32 on August 9, 2022.

For China Edition, Caves & Cliffs: Part I was released on January 21, 2022, and Part II on August 26, 2022.

Notable features

Main articles: Java Edition 1.17 and 1.18; Bedrock Edition 1.17.0 and 1.18.0.
New blocks
New items
New mobs
New non-mob entities
New world generation
New biomes
New soundtracks
  • A new music disc from Lena Raine titled "otherside"

Further revisions

Java Edition

1.17
  • 1.17.1 made changes to some game mechanics and fixes bugs.
1.18

Bedrock Edition

1.17
  • 1.17.1 was released exclusively on Nintendo Switch to fix a bug in which players weren't able to connect to any server.
  • 1.17.2 was released to fix bugs related to world generation.
  • 1.17.10 added candles, brought additional parity with Java Edition, experimental features for 1.18.0, and fixed bugs.
  • 1.17.11 was released to fix some critical bugs.
  • 1.17.30 was released to bring additional parity with Java Edition, new features behind the experimental toggle, and fixed bugs.
  • 1.17.32 was released to fix some critical bugs after the release of 1.17.30.
  • 1.17.33 was released exclusively on Amazon Fire devices to fix a bug in which players weren't able to launch the game.
  • 1.17.34 was released to fix a bug in which owned content did not appear in the inventory after redeeming a retail code.
  • 1.17.40 was released to fix bugs and add more features behind the experimental toggle.
  • 1.17.41 was released to fix some critical bugs after the release of 1.17.40.
1.18
  • 1.18.1 and 1.18.2 were released to fix some critical bugs after the release of 1.18.0.
  • 1.18.10 was released to bring more parity with Java Edition and fix bugs.
  • 1.18.11 was released exclusively on Nintendo Switch to fix bugs.
  • 1.18.12 was released to fix bugs.
  • 1.18.30 was released to add new Create New World UI, more parity with Java Edition such as 64-bit seeds, hunger changes, and fixes bugs.
  • 1.18.31 was released to add the Spectator mode experimental toggle and fix bugs.
  • 1.18.32 was released exclusively on Android, Fire OS, and Nintendo Switch to improve game performance.
  • 1.18.33 was released exclusively on Nintendo Switch to fix bugs.

Videos

Trailer

A trailer for Part I was released on June 8, 2021.

A trailer for Part II was released on November 30, 2021.

Showcases

Videos made by slicedlime:

Java Edition

1.17
1.18

Other

Soundtrack

Videos uploaded to Lena Raine – Topic and Various Artists - Topic by Ingrooves

Plays in snowy slopes, jagged peaks, frozen peaks, stony peaks, and the title screen.

Plays in meadows, lush caves, and the title screen.

Not present in the game at the time of the album's release.

Plays in groves, jagged peaks, stony peaks, dripstone caves, and the title screen.

Plays in groves, dripstone caves, and the title screen.

Plays in meadows, snowy slopes, lush caves, and the title screen.

The fourteenth music disc added to the game, obtained from stronghold and dungeon chests.

Plays in jagged peaks and lush caves.

Plays in groves.

Plays in snowy slopes, dripstone caves, and lush caves.

Trivia

  • Mojang Studios employees explored real caves to research for the update. This helped give inspiration and ideas for the update, including for the noodle caves (previously called mesh caves).[11][12]
  • The art style of the concept art for Caves & Cliffs was inspired by the concept art of the Adventure Time episode Diamonds and Lemons, which was a crossover with Minecraft.[14]
  • Archaeology and Bundles were originally planned to be added in this update, but were delayed to a later version when the update was split.[15]
Trailer trivia

Gallery

Screenshots of the Caves & Cliffs update from Minecraft Live 2020 and other sources:

Concept artwork

Artwork

Comparison artwork

References

  1. a b "Minecraft Live 2020 @ 2:10:28" – Minecraft on YouTube, October 3, 2020
  2. a b c "Minecraft Live: The Recap" – Minecraft.net, October 3, 2020 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "Recap" defined multiple times with different content
  3. "Grab your nearest calendar and start circling with a vengeance: Caves & Cliffs: Part I arrives June 8th on both Java and Bedrock!"@Minecraft (Minecraft) on X, May 31, 2021
  4. "Minecraft: Caves & Cliffs Update FAQ" .
  5. "Caves & Cliffs Update Part II is coming" – Minecraft.net, November 17, 2021
  6. "A Caves & Cliffs Announcement" – Minecraft on YouTube, April 14, 2021
  7. "My understanding is that Experimental Features only exist in Beta releases."@MattGartzke on X, December 2, 2020
  8. "Goats are still in the latest beta, they just can't be accessed from a full version, only betas."@MattGartzke on X, December 2, 2020
  9. "New world generation in Bedrock available for testing" – Minecraft.net, July 13, 2021
  10. https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/caves---cliffs-update-part-ii-coming
  11. "Yes, and yes. Was hoping to do a larger field trip to different countries with interesting caves, but covid got in the way so we had stay more local."@henrikkniberg on X, October 23, 2020
  12. "Mesh caves were inspired by this field trip."@henrikkniberg on X, October 21, 2020
  13. "I used to travel a lot in the past though (before becoming aware of climate change), and I like visiting caves, so I dug up memories from fascinating cave visits in Spain, South Africa, New Zealand, and British Virgin Isles and some other places."@henrikkniberg on X, October 23, 2020
  14. "Definitely one of my biggest inspirations! My favorite show + favorite game - it shaped a lot how I approached concepts for Minecraft artstyle"@cookiecat_9 on X, October 4, 2020
  15. "A Caves & Cliffs Announcement" – Minecraft on YouTube, April 14, 2021

External links


Unconfirmed features

These features are not confirmed for 1.17, but were mentioned or showcased by developers during the development of 1.17. Main article: Mentioned features.

World generation

Underground Cabin[unofficial name]
  • Seen in the Deep Dark biome during the Minecraft Live 2020 stream.[1]
  • Consists of a chamber with a cobblestone floor and stripped log support beams, containing 3 barrels, a blast furnace, and a large chest, with cobwebs and candles in and around it.
  • May possibly not be a generated structure, but instead a construction built for the purpose of the Warden showcase.

General

Height limit
  • May be increased.[2] It is considered to change only in the overworld as stated by Jeb. [3]
  • As of 20w49a. World-height related values are now exposed for customized worlds, which might confirm that height limit might get removed or increased.[4]

Trivia

  • This is the first Bedrock Edition update to add a new ore to the overworld since emerald ore was added.
    • Similarly, this is also the first Bedrock Edition update to add a real-world metal into the game since iron and gold ore was added.

Notes

References

  1. https://youtu.be/DWZIfsaIgtE?t=2536
  2. "We can say that we are looking into it, but we can unfortunately not promise anything at this point" - Agnes Larsson on "Ask Mojang: All About Caves & Cliffs @ 8:53" - Minecraft on Youtube, October 30, 2020
  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDBf_IKEq3s&ab_channel=Minecraft
  4. https://www.minecraft.net/en-us/article/minecraft-snapshot-20w49a
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